Turn Up the Love
by Mystical Authoress
Summary: Takes place post-manga. Sick of paparazzi, sick of stress and everything at the moment, Meister decides to take a trip to various parts of Japan. This trip isn't just for getting out of the rat race for a while, though-during the whole time he might just make some new friends and learn things about himself, too.
1. The Week Before

**Author note: I do not own Yakitate! Japan nor do I own the song 'Turn Up the Love' by Far East Movement ft. Cover Drive, which inspired the fic.**

**...I'm aware that it's been forever since I've really written anything Yakitate! related, but I guess you could call this my return to this fandom after a long absence. Of course, updates will be sporadic and probably super-delayed and all, but this is definitely a fic I want to focus on for this fandom. So all patience, reviews and views are appreciated. :)**

**Warning: Takes place post-manga, Meister-centric, spoilers for the manga, possible violence, possible anything, basically. **

**Constructive Criticism would be great, and I hope that you read, review and enjoy! Thanks! **

* * *

_**Turn Up the Love**_

* * *

_The Week Before_

* * *

He was so sick of it.

He was sick of the paparazzi. He was sick of the stress, sick of sleepless nights.

He was just...stressed. And sick of it.

Maybe he needed a break. A long break. A vacation.

_"Maybe you should take a vacation." _

Kuroyanagi was on the other end of the line. Meister Kirisaki gripped the phone tightly in his hand, but thankfully not hard enough to break it. Meister knew that he wouldn't usually rant to Kuroyanagi about this, especially while Kuroyanagi was filming his show about finding the 'ultimate deliciousness' and all, but this was urgent. Normally he would call Matsushiro, but the afro-yakuza leader was out drinking with his buddies.

"That's what I was thinking," Meister responded, "but I just can't-I just can't _leave _for thirty-ish days. I'm the _owner _of St. Pierre..."

_"Well, maybe you just should. Get one of your subordinate people to look after St. Pierre while you're gone, tell them you're going on a vacation. Even the owners of companies need to get away from the rat race."_

"I'm...highly considering that option."

_"Well, do you actually want to? How do you plan on going about it? Go back to France, visit your sister? Retreat to some other foreign country and pray the paparazzi don't catch you?"_

"...I was thinking more of going on a bit of a tour of Japan, actually. By myself."

_"A tour of Japan?"_

"Yeah. I never really got to run around this country in the past when I first came here, because I was working so hard at Pantasia to support myself here and my sister back in France back then. I rarely took any days off...so now since things have settled, I might as well take the opportunity, correct?"

_"Erm...right."_

"I know you're skeptical about it, Kuroyanagi-kun. Admit it."

_"Okay, I am. Because, I mean...then the paparazzi will try to chase you. And fangirls, if they see you..."_

Meister facepalmed himself. "Kuroyanagi-kun, I was thinking I wouldn't go and wear the...fanciful clothing that people usually see me wearing. Or the mask. Without them, I think I look like your everyday, normal person...I was also planning on cutting my hair shorter than it is currently, if you're wondering."

_"That will probably help."_

"If you're worried, I'll let you call me. Once I get a new phone that doesn't have everyone else's numbers in it. That way you can know if I'm alive and safe and stuff."

_"Okay..."_

"You really do sound worried, Kuroyanagi-kun. Do you love me that much?" Meister joked after a moment, remembering back at the Newcomers Tournament when he and Kuroyanagi had almost kissed each other twice due to Kuroyanagi having his weird bread reactions.

_"Sh-shut up!"_

Meister laughed. He had come to see Kuroyanagi as a friend, a good friend-better than Matsushiro and the others, at least. And it was always fun to tease friends. Always. "I'm going to miss you and the others while I'm gone, but I think this trip will do me good. I'll go in a week from now..."

_"Okay." _Kuroyanagi sounded a bit relieved. _"Just make sure to give me your number for the phone you're using for the trip and stuff. You know, so I can check if you're alive."_

"Of course, of course. See you."

Meister put the phone down. The smile he had turned to a small frown as he stood. Walking up to a nearby mirror, he ripped off the mask that had concealed his face.

A stranger's face stared back at him through the reflection. He had gotten so used to wearing the mask that even he didn't recognize himself, not at first. Blue eyes bore into their reflection, and then gazed at the rest of the reflection altogether. He doubted anyone could recognize him without the mask on, maybe except for Kuroyanagi and Matsushiro...

He then looked around, before rummaging at his desk and retrieving a pair of scissors. He rushed back to the mirror, glancing at his own hair, before doing his best to cut.

_snip_

_snip_

_snip_

Strands of blond hair fell to the ground. His hair no longer went down to his waist, it merely ended a little bit past the collarbone.

"Better than nothing..." He muttered to himself. "What else to pack...? Where to go...?"

He already couldn't wait to go.

And maybe, just maybe, he could figure out more things during the trip than just getting out of the rat race for a while.


	2. Day One

_Day 1: Up We Go_

He was so nervous.

It had been a while since he went travelling anywhere, really.

Naturally, this meant that he was checking, double-checking, triple-checking everything to make sure he had all the important stuff with him.

This also resulted in a bit of last-minute panicking early in the morning before he took a taxi to the airport. But after Kuroyanagi had helped him check through everything and calmed him down telling him that it was completely fine and all, Meister, no-he should stop thinking of himself as Meister Kirisaki, he should call himself by his own name-_Sylvan _Kirisaki got to the airport to get ready to fly to south of Japan, where he would start his journey at Nagasaki and basically make his way north back to Tokyo from there.

Okay, he wasn't exactly going all over Japan, but first off he didn't want to rush himself too much in terms of travelling, so he could enjoy the sights and all.

_Day One..._

_9:08 a.m._

_...I'm already on the plane to Nagasaki. I'm kind of nervous, considering I haven't really travelled this much. But then again if I do end up getting too homesick to keep travelling, I can always get a plane ticket home. Still, though, I need this time for myself. I have to find myself, I guess. Because I really don't know myself too well. I just hope this freaking long trip I'm taking is going to help, otherwise it's all for naught._

_...okay, went off on a little rant there. What was I even writing about again? Right. Nagasaki. This particular city was bombed during WWII, but also has many interesting places such as the Glover Garden (which I plan on visiting) and the Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims. I'm definitely checking those two places out as well as Mount Inasa...  
_

_Erm...and I think I'm just going to go to sleep now. Because I had to wake up pretty early to get to the airport. So yeah...hopefully I'll get enough time during this flight to get a proper rest._

_Sincerely, Sylvan (me), who is feeling incredibly sleepy while writing this and hence why my handwriting looks like crap at the moment..._

* * *

It wasn't easy making himself fall asleep during the flight, but he ended up doing so. He woke up while the airplane was descending from the sky towards the Nagasaki airport, which was not very nice on his ears due to the changing air pressure. Aside from that, though, the flight was alright, it arrived on time, and Sylvan made sure to grab his luggage and stuff from the plane before he called a taxi to take him to the hotel.

He was unable to check into the hotel room as it was still a bit early (which kind of sucked) but he was allowed to leave his luggage with the hotel staff, which was great.

So, now he decided to take the time to call Kuroyanagi.

"Hello. I'm alive."

_"Wha-Meister, is that you!?"_

"Yes, Kuroyanagi, I'm alive. I'm in Nagasaki, in my hotel, and the view from here is amazing...you can see the water..."

_"Wow...that's great. So, uh, how are you enjoying your vacation?"_

"It's going well, I-"

That was when Sylvan could hear Matsushiro and Kuroyanagi fighting in the background.

_"Hey, give me my phone!"_

_"Nope."_

_"I can get Meister to fire you for this! Hell, I CAN FIRE YOU!"_

_"I thought you told me that Meister is on vacation..."_

_"Well, yeah, he is, but-"_

_"Meister, is that you?" _Matsushiro then spoke to Sylvan through the phone. The owner of St. Pierre blinked in surprise._ "Hey, what's with the sudden vacation?"_

"Uh-I-"

Sylvan heard Matsushiro chuckle. _"Hey, I'm just joking with you, Kirisaki...finally, you ACTUALLY TAKE A DAY OFF. I've been bugging you about that for years!"_

Sylvan chuckled nervously at this. "Y-yeah, I guess I finally took your advice. Even the owner of St. Pierre needs a day off, you know."

_"Well, that's great-OW!"_

_"GIVE MY PHONE BACK!"_

_"HEY, QUIT KICKING ME OR I WON'T GIVE BACK YOUR PHONE!"_

_"YOU-"_

That was when the line went dead. Sylvan blinked, before he turned off his phone and put it away in his pocket.

"That was..weird..." He muttered out loud, before deciding it would be best just to take it easy today, get settled with things. He glanced at his list that he took out of his pocket quietly.

_Things to do in Nagasaki_

_Go to the Glover Garden and take as many pictures as possible._

_Go to the Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims._

_Check out Mount Inasa! XD_

_Go to Ōura Church, even though I'm not really religious or anything. But oh well..._

_Souvenir shopping?_

Sylvan wasn't exactly sure how many lists of 'Things to do in such and such place' he had. He lost count after three.

He had the feeling that this entire trip he was taking was going to be very interesting...


End file.
